American gold coins, Italian art and Chinese Rosewood create smiles at Burchard Galleries June 22
July 8, 2008
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The June 22 sale at Burchard Galleries featured an outstanding collection of American gold coins from an Orlando estate that far exceeded the presale estimate in fourteen of sixteen cases. Internet bidding and auction catalog preview were provided by www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
The top coin lot, and the top lot of the sale, was a 1905 Lewis and Clark gold $1 graded from PCGS as MS64. These coins graded better than MS62 are very rare; 35,041 of the commemorative coins were struck at the Philadelphia mint in 1905, with the odd 41 for mint inspection services. Of the remaining 35,000, only 10,000 were actually sold to the public for the market price of $3. The unsold balance was melted for gold stock. The coins were not perceived as being especially valuable when issued and few were stored carefully with many being melted during the Depression for scrap. Auction spokesman Todd Burchard pointed out that the coins were graded MS64 some time ago under a more stringent grading system than that in use today and expects the coins to be regraded to a higher mark.
This MS64 Lewis and Clark had a presale estimate of $1,500 - $2,000. Crossing the block late in the sale, the lot drew a surprising 17 bids. A 1904 Lewis and Clark gold $1 with a similar grade, estimated at $1,000 - $1,500, had a hammer price of $7,250, and a Panama Pacific 1915-S $2½ gold piece, graded from PCGS MS64, brought $5,750 against its $1,500 - $2,500 estimate.
Other good gold included a 1913 $5 Gold Half Eagle, graded MS64, selling five times the high estimate at $5,000, and a 1932 $10 Indian Gold Eagle, MS64, hammering at double the estimate at $4,000.
An abstract oil on canvas by Piero Ruggieri (Italian 1930-) from the Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences was estimated to sell at $400 - $600, but rounded up forty bids to close at $11,000. The 44-inch by 38-inch work, in in good condition overall, entitled “Le Lampade 1956,” was signed lower right, titled and dated verso. An unsigned American Western scene, oil on canvas, also from the Daytona Museum, depicted waterfalls, a river and a chain of mountains with three figures of Native American Indians in the foreground also handily beat estimates. This unassuming 29-inch by 44-inch work had several tears and abrasions and was estimated presale at $400 - $600. With a very strong attribution to Alexander Loemans (Canadian ? – d1898) it was hotly pursued in the room and online with sixty-two bids logged, and closing at $6,500. Also in the American art category, a Florida landscape typical of the genre by Florida Highwayman Harold Newton (American, 1932-1994) sold within estimate at $3,750.
In the Asian department, a Chinese Meiji period rosewood etagere having elaborate and fine carvings in berry and bamboo motifs surrounding open shelving and one closed compartment closed above estimate at $6,250. It was followed by a late-19th century Chinese carved rosewood desk with a carved gallery above a drawer flanked by doors. With the matching chair, the set sold above estimate at $2,000. But the star of the furniture portion was a beautifully patinated 19th century two-piece Federal mahogany tambour desk, banded and inlaid with upper interior drawers and two full length drawers below. The square nails in the back attested to the age. This elegant office in a box, estimated at $400 - $600 created enough excitement to close at $3,000. A six piece quarter sawn oak bedroom set from the Mission Collection of L. & J.G. Stickley sold within estimate at $4,000.
To view the fully illustrated auction catalog, with prices realized, please visit www.LiveAuctioneers.com.
